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Exploring Love and Life, One Word At A Time.™

Have An Attitude of #NovemberGratitude

Excuse me while I start waxing poetic, but I’m going to go so far as to quote Mahatma Ghandi: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”We know this quote. It’s easier to think about than actually do. That’s why I’m throwing down the gauntlet and starting a hashtag: #NovemberGratitude. Let’s get this trending!

I’m issuing a challenge for this month: Why don’t we challenge ourselves to find something to be content about each day of November – and appreciate it?

It’s always the little things that end of making a big deal. You won’t lose anything by trying it, and who knows? By the end of the month, we may find that our smiles appear more frequently, and as our coats get heavier, our hearts feel a bit lighter.

It’s Okay to Feel Content Sometimes

These days, feeling content is a lot more challenging than you might initially think. Our news cycle is based on the negative things that happen, or more accurately, the potential for negative things to happen. Do you remember my post when I wrote about the boy’s soccer team that was trapped in a cave in Thailand? For days, the world held its breath wondering whether or not they would survive. Once they actually did, media coverage dwindled to nearly nothing. One of the best lines that stuck with me when watching Nightcrawler was when the news producer (played by Rene Ruso) said, “If it bleeds, it leads.”

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Why can’t we be led a different way? How can we lead differently?

This month is probably my favorite month of the year. November is on the sweet spot of our calendar when we’ve all finally accepted that summer is actually over, the nights are getting chillier, and the dinners are morphing into warm comfort foods. November is that quiet moment right before the storm of Christmas and holiday hoopla shifts into full gear. For now, calm November is the time to pull out the cozy blankets, rediscover your fuzzy slippers, and enjoy the soft glow of lit houses. It’s one of the few times where we might remember to sit down, take a deep breath, and be content.

Hold me accountable to the challenge and use that hashtag #NovemberGratitude. We can follow each other on Twitter (Atina_Atwood) to encourage each other. Are you in? Let us know in the comments!

– Atina Atwood is a southern girl who moved from Europe to the West Coast. A former university professor in Germany and California, Atina stepped away from Academia to focus on her miracle child, life, love, food, quilting, and of course, Romance. Follow her on Twitter,Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more.